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[Arkenstone]

So, I've started this thread to accomidate the discussion of potential applications of minecarts, since I don't see a focused/directed thread already existing.



So, I guess I'll start off with the 'main' purpose of minecarts, namely moving stuff around.

I propose that a good automated system might consist of a series of tracks connecting two points, one source and one destination.  All sources would be refilled with carts from a central cart hub, which would have collection points at all destinations.  The destinations would have to be able to hold multiple carts to prevent overflow from occuring, and/or overflow carts should be collected at a central 'junkyard'.

As for automation of departure, based on the Devlog the dwarves should be able to handle that.


Now, Discuss!

[SRD]

Make a 5x5 of minecarts to move the Trade Depot around to pickup items instead of taking the items to the depot.

[slink]

You mean a thread like this one?  http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=106473.0

 

[Garath]

though that one got a bit derailed lately as most options have been discussed already.

[miauw62]

The first thing I am going to do is remake the large hadron collider....

[NonconsensualSurgery]

I'm not really looking forward to carving ramps connecting my foundry to the mines. I've gotten too used to stairs

The first and most practical use will probably be goblin bowling. I'm picturing a 3x20 entrance with a relativistic minecart launcher on the fortward side and tracks down the entryway. The far end of the entryway will have tracked ramps to the surface. Solid lead carts (loaded with heavy stones?) will barrel down the entryway at relativistic speeds, launch up the ramps into the sunlight for a moment, crash into a backstop, fall through another narrow opening in the soil and then land in an "airport" area so they can be sent back to the entryway launcher.

Sending the Red Baron unwanted nobility along for the flight will be optional, but if carts don't derail and there's a safe way to land them a marksdwarf in the cart might be able to shoot at things mid-flight, which would be fucking sweet.

A more boring (but potentially more effective) solution would be to have a lead cart full of pitchblende oscillate at high speed along a U-shaped track that crosses the entryway. When not in use, it would be blocked with bridges to trap the cart up high. When in use, the cart just goes right-left-right-left....

ŻŻŻ\       /ŻŻŻ
      \___/

[Kaleb702 Games]

This adds a new level of fort security; you can have the supplies far away from the depot, so even if the enemy breaks in, you still have your +granite harp+s to trade with the traders for enough supplies to fix the problem.

Heck, you could have all supplies in their own section far away from the main fortress, with the only way in being the rails; the goblins would be roadkill by the dwarves running them over.

[Hokan]

Minecart marksdwarf patrols. YES!

[MrWiggles]

A forth minecart thread? God damn.

[Garath]

Minecart marksdwarf patrols. YES!

old news, very old

[JackOSpades]

A forth minecart thread? God damn.

Hopefully the mine-carts themselves won't get derailed as often as the threads about them do.

[Monk321654]

A forth minecart thread? God damn.

Hopefully the mine-carts themselves won't get derailed as often as the threads about them do.

They will.
Trust me.
They will.

[Garath]

If not, you're not trying. Too bad toady fixed the unlimited energy - high speed thing he mentions in the dev log

[lava dwarf]

lets see if we can shot dwarfs at are enemy

[Garath]

devlog states he's working on cart/creature collisions now, so it sounds promising